Cats in rescue shelters face significant welfare challenges from confinement, novel environments, and lack of hiding opportunities that cause acute and chronic stress.
Newly admitted cats in open-cage housing without hiding opportunities experience acute fear responses with elevated cortisol for days to weeks. Stress-induced immunosuppression increases upper respiratory infection susceptibility in shelter environments. Cats unable to retreat from public view are in constant high-alert states with no opportunity for normal rest and comfort behaviours. Long-term shelter residents develop chronic stress that makes them difficult to rehome and may progress to clinical welfare pathology. Simple environmental modifications including hiding boxes dramatically improve welfare outcomes.